1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns an apparatus for cutting the wings of poultry bodies into their individual elements.
2. Prior Art
A device for severing a single joint in a poultry wing is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,560. This device comprises two circular knives, which are arranged symmetrically on either side of the path of the poultry bodies in a V-shape. The poultry bodies arrive at this device hanging from their foot joints which are held by shackles of an overhead conveyor and guided by means of guides at the level of the wing axilla such that the wrist of the wing lies in the cutting plane of the circular knives.
The cut is effected through the wing wrist joint from the crook of the joint outwards.
Furthermore, a device for removing the lower wing is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,564. In this device the poultry bodies are again transported while hanging from the foot joints. The poultry bodies arrive at the cutting device, which consists of two circular knives oriented to form a V and are guided such that the wing elbows are guided against the circular knives and divided from the crook of the joint outwards.
On cutting up the wing, it is important that the cuts anatomically run true, i.e. that specifically with regard to a division in the region of a joint, they are guided to follow the natural dividing plane of the joint connections.
It is also highly desirable that the precision of a dividing cut is largely independent of the size of the poultry bodies being processed.
3. Objects of the Invention
It is thus an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for cutting up wing joints into its individual component parts wherein the guidance and orientation of the wing is controlled precisely to enable a severing cut to be made in an anatomically suitable manner.
A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus capable of operating reliably and accurately irrespective of the size of the poultry bodies to be processed.